Tire tread applying machine



Feb. 28, 1950 E. A. GLYNN TIRE TREAD APPLYING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22, 1948 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS E. A. GLYNN.

TIRE TREAD APPLYING MACHINE Feb. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Shed 2 Filed June 22, 1948 INVENTOR I Efl.GZ;/nn

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 28, 1950 'Edwinz. A. Glynn, Lodl, Calif., assignor to Super Mold Corporation of California, Lodi, Calif., a

corporation of California Application June 22, 1948, Serial No. 34,427

- 1 This invention relates to, and it is an object to provide, a novel machine for use in connection with the application of tread stock, or camelbackas it is known in the tire rebuilding tradeto used tires preparatory to vulcanizing the new tread in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tire tread applying machine incorporating a driven tire carrier adapted to support a tire, with its axis horizontal, and torotate the tire about said axis to facilitate application of the tread stock; there being a novel guide assemblyon the machine operative to assure straizht and even application of said tread stock to the tire.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tire tread applying machine which includes a novel stitcher unit arranged to ride the applied tread stock smoothly and in easy tracking relation, while at the same time applyingrelatively great pressure to said tread stock to cause its proper adherence to the tire. In the trade a stitcher is the device employed to press the applied tread stock, forcefully against the previously prepared andrubber cemented periphery of a tire carcass,

An additional object of the inventionis to provide a tire tread applying machine wherein the driven tire carrier, guide assembly, and tread stock stitcher unit are each adjustable so that the machine can be used effectively with tires of different sizes, the adjustments all being accomplished easily, quickly. and without use of tools.

A further object of the invention is, to provide a, practical, convenien and. "reliable; tire tread applyin machine, andone wh' 'chjwill beeXc'eedinglv effective for thev purpose for which it'. is d ned. j..

These objects are accomplished bymeans of such structure and relative arrangement of. parts 16 Claims.

as will fullyappear by a perusal of the followin specification and claims. In the drawings:

Fig. 1. is, a side elevation of the machine as muse. Fig. 2 is a top pl n view of the machine.

,Fig. 3 is ancnlarged fragmentary, front elevation, partly in section, sho wing the driven,,roller.- supporting spindle, and the vertically adjustable roller-supporting spindle.

Fig. 4 i a diagrammatic representation showing the relationship of thetirecarrier rollers, and the. stitcher. unit roller to a supportedtire Referring. now more particularly tothe; char,- acters, of reference on the drawingathe-derics is supported from the floor; and, comp ses abase ton which a rigid postZ-is mounted.

A split, sleeve 3- isfixed to the post 2 intermediate the ends of the latter, and at the-fron thereof said split; sleeve 3 carries a transverse horizontal axis bearing-4 in whicha spindle 5 1s J'ournaled. The spindle 5,-projectslatera11y and horizontally in one direction a. substantial distance and forms a part of the driven tire carrier, as will hereinafter appear.-

At its opposite, endthe spindle 5 extends from thebearing 4' and 'is; connected by a universal coupling 6 with the output shaft 1 of a reduction gear box 8 driven byan-electric motor 9. The gear box 8 and electric motor Baremollnted on a platform [0 secured in: connection with the post 2.

The driven tirecarrier of the machine, which includes the spindle 5, comprisesthefollowing structural arrangement:

Below the spindle 5 there is another horizontal spindle llwhich projects laterallyin the same direction, and said spindle I l is fixed, at its inner end, to a forwardly projecting hand lever I 2 intermediate the ends of the latter. The hand lever I2 is pivoted, at its rear end, as at I3, to the rear portion of av otched quadrant l4; securedto the post 2, and with which notched quadrant said hand lever-I 2 cooperates; there being a manually releasable spring-pressed latch unit- I5 between-the hand leverlz and notche q a rant 14. Vertical swinging adjustment of the hand lever 12 accomplishes acorresponding vertical adjustmentof, the spindle I [with respectto the driven, but fix d positionispindle 5. .7

The split sleeve 3 isz-iormed with a rearwardly projecting bracket l6 having an elongated. horizontalslot l l therein. .Another horizontal spindle l8 projects; laterally from the bracket Hiv in the same direction as the spindles ,5 and H, being disposed in spaced relation tothe rear. of the former but in substantially the same horizontal plane. The spindle I8 is mounted for adjustment along the slot IT, which adjustment can be accomplished upon loosening of a nut l9 wh1ch includes an operating handl'2ll.

With the above described assembly of laterally projectl-ngspindles; it will be recognized that the spindle II can be adjusted up and down with respect to the driven s'pindle- 5, whereas the spindle l8 maybe adjusted rearwardly or for,- wardly relativegto saidndriven. spindle 5. This isior' the nurpcseioi adjustment to :dinerent tire" sizes' said spindles carrying iresupportlns rollers followsi j on the spindle 5 includes a key 24 running ina keyway 25.

The rotary sleeves 22 are maintained in freely turnable relation on the spindles II and It by means of lubricant fed through a passage 25 in the corresponding spindle.

The rollers 2! include tire retention flanges 21 at the outer ends of said rollers, and the roll- 1 ers on the spindle 5 are peripherally serrated,

as shown, toassure of good frictional grip with a supported tire.

" A tire 28 is supported on the described driven tire carrier in the manner illustrated in Figs. land 4; the three pairs of rollers 2| being first adjusted to proper spacing to receive the tire beads 29 thereon, and thereafter the spindles H and I8 are adjusted vertically and horizontally,

respectively, to properly engage the three pair of rollers within the tire in supporting relation thereto.

As so supported, the tire 28 is rotated at rela- 'tively slow speed from the motor 9 and driven spindle 5 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

The tire 28 has previously been buffed to remove a substantial portion of the old tread,'and is then treated at the periphery with a coating or layer of rubber cement. As so processed, the tire is mounted in the tread applying machine, and the relatively fiat tread stock or camelback 30 is manually applied to the tire as it rotates by feeding said tread stock onto the tire at the top; The tread stock 30 is guided, as it feeds onto the tire, by the following arrangement:

The post 2, adjacent the top thereof, is fitted 'with a vertically adjustable split collar 3| which includes a hand screw 32. as a positioning element for another split collar The collar 3! serves 33 on the post thereabove; the split collar 33 likewise including a hand screw 34. arrangement, the collars are vertically, adjustable on the post 2, and the collar 33 is readily adjustable in its rotative position without the possibility of accidentally lowering.

The split collar 33 is formed with a horizontal or transverse sleeve 35 through which a cross With this rod 36 extends in adjustable relation, which .ad-

justment is accomplished by loosening a .hand ,screw 31. from the post 2 in the same direction as the spindles of the driven tire carrier, but is-disposed some distance thereabove.

The cross rod 36 projects laterally The cross rod 35 is fitted with a pair of longitudinally adjustable collars 38 whose adjustment is accomplished by means of hand screws 39; the position of such collars on the cross'rod 36 being determined by suitable scaling thereon.

I Forwardly and downwardly inclined guide fingers 40 are fixed on the collars 38, and when in use are set so that the lower ends thereof run quite close to the shoulders of the tire. Thus, as the tread stock is fed onto the tire 28, at the top, the'guide fingers'4ll assure of its proper alinement'." As the collars 38 are adjustable on the cross rod 36, and as the latte 1 is. in i sel axially adjustable, the fingers 40 can be set to any size of tire.

After the tread stock 30 is applied about the periphery of the tire 28, it is necessary that heavy radially inward force be applied to said tread stock to cause its adherence or stitching to the tire carcass, previously treated with rubber cement. In the present machine the following stitcher unit is provided:

A double swivel fitting 4! is mounted on the cross rod 36 intermediate its ends, and a pressure arm 42 is fixed to, and extends forwardly from, said double swivel fitting 4 l A transverse handle 43 is mounted on the pressure arm 42 at the outer end of the same.

A longitudinall adjustable sleeve 44 is mounted on the pressure arm 42, and a stitching roller 45 is suspended from the sleeve 44 by means of a castor mount 46.

The pressure arm 42 and its connected parts is normally swung laterally to an upwardly inclined, out-of-the-way position, where it rests on a hook 4! extending from the post 2. This is the position of the pressure arm 42 while the tread stock 30 is being applied to the tire.

Thereafter, the operator grasps the transverse handle 43 and swings the pressure arm 42 to a Working position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the roller 45 then runs on the tread stock 30 as applied to the periphery of the tire 28. With the tire rotating on its carrier, the operator presses down on the transverse handle 43, whereby the stitching roller 45 imparts substantial pressure to the tread stock 35 to stitch it, or cause its adherence to the tire. As the stitching roller 45 is castor mounted, it is self-tracking but can be caused to ride from side to side of the tread stock 38 by corresponding lateral manipulation of the swivelly mounted pressure arm 42. In this way the operator can accomplish effective and even stitching of the tread stock 36 to the tire 28.

It is desirable that the stitching roller 45 ride the periphery of the tire at a point not too far ahead of the top center of the tire, and it is for this reason that the stitching roller 45, together with its castor mount, is made adjustable lengthwise of the pressure arm 42; this being accomplished by the use of the longitudinal adjustable sleeve 44.

The above described tire tread applying machine provides a very practical, effective, and reliable structure for use in connection with the application of tread stock to used tires prepar-a tory to the vulcanizing process.

. The machine is readily and conveniently adjustable to tires of different sizes, and in any position of adjustment thereof the driven tire .carrier, the guide assembly, and the stitcher unit function with equal effectiveness.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention asset forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired, is: v

1. A tire tread applying machine comprising an upstanding support, a plurality of spaced, horizontal spindles projecting laterally in the same apostolic upstanding support, a pluralltyofspaced; hor-lzontal spindles projecting laterally in: the same direction from'the support; means journalingone spindle in connection with thesupport, a drive unitcoupled to said one spindle, means securlng a second spindle to" the support riearwardfof said onespindle; means securing a; third spindleto the, support below "said one spindle; and? aspair' ofaxially spaced the supporting? rollers mounted on each spindle; the-rollers on: said one spindle being fixedthereon against: relative" rotation.

33. A tire tread" applying; machine comprising anrupst'anding support; a plurality-ofspaced'; horiazontal spindles" projecting laterally in the same direction from the support,,meansfjournaling" one spindle in connection with. the-supporn a drive unit coupled to saldone spindle; meanssecuring a second spindle to thesupport rearward of said one spindle, means securing a third spindle to the support below said one spindle, and -a pair of axially spaced tire supporting rollers mounted on each spindle; the rollerson said one spindle being fixed thereon against relative-rotation; and the rollers corresponding tothesecondand third spindles being rotatable thereon.

4. A tire tread applying'machine, as inclaim 3, in which a corresponding one of each pair of rollers is-axially adjustable-relative the: remaining roller of the pair.

53 A tiretread applying machine" comprising an upstanding support, a plurality of spaced, horizontal spindles projecting laterally inthe same direction from the support, means journaling one spindle in connection with the support, a drive unit coupled to said one spindle, means securing a second spindle to the support rearward of said one spindle, means securing a third spindle to the support below said one spindle, a pair of axially spaced tire supporting rollers secured on said one spindle in relative non-rotatable relation, rotary sleeves on said second and third spindles, and pairs of axlally spaced tire supporting rollers secured on said sleeves.

6. A tire tread applying machinecomprising an upstanding support, a plurality of spaced, horizontal spindles projecting laterally in the same direction from the support, means journaling one spindle in connection with the support, a drive unit coupled to said one spindle, means securing a second spindle to the support rearward of said one spindle, means securing a third spindle to the support below said one spindle, apair of axially spaced tire supporting rollers secured on said one spindle in relative non-rotatable relation, rotary sleeves on said second and third spindles, and pairs of axially spaced tire supporting rollers secured on said sleeves; a corresponding roller of each of the three pairs being-axially adjustable.

7. A tire tread applying machine comprising an upstanding support, a plurality of spaced, horizontal spindles projecting laterally in the same direction from the support, means rjournlaling one spindle in connection with the support, a drive unit coupled to said one spindle, means securing a second spindle to the support rearward of said B Bridsplhdlei-means securing a third spindle to mesupport below saidone spindle, and a pair of axially spaced' tire supportin'g rollers mounted on eachs'p'indlejthe securing means for said third and 'se'cond spindles mounting thesame for up and down; and back and forth adjustment, respectivel'y:

'83 A] tiretread applying machine comprisingan upstanding post, a driven spindle journaledin connection with thepost and projecting laterally therefrom; another laterally projecting spindle disposed rearwardof thedriven spindle parallel thereto-- means mounting said' other spindle in connection with the post for back and forth adjustment; a third laterally projecting spindle disposed belowthe driven spindle parallel there'- to, means mounting said third spindle in connec' tion with the post "for up anddown adjustment, and a pair of axially-spacedtiresupporting rollers oneach spindle-the'paii' on the driven spindle being-rotated thereby.

9; A tire:- tread? applying machine comprising an-iipstanding-post; a driven spindle journaled in conneetion withxthe post and projecting laterally therefrom, another laterally projecting spindle disposed rearward or the driven: spindle parallel thereto; means mounting: said other spindle in connectionwith therpost for back and forth adjustment, .aithirdzlaterally projecting spindle disposedtbelow the drivenw'spindlev parallel thereto, means amounting saidv third spindle inconnection with" the postefor; up and down adjustmentand a" pain: of axially spacedtire supporting rollers on eachwspindle, the-pair: ornthe drivenspindle being rotatedthereby"; a corresponding one of each pair ofi-rollersbeing axially adjustable.

- 10.-.A.tire-tread, applying machine comprising an upstanding post, ,adriven spindle journaled in connection. with the post and projecting. laterally therefrom,, anotheri laterallyprojecting spindle disposed rearward of the driven spindle parallel thereto, means mounting said other spindle in connection With-the post for back and forth adjustment, a third laterally projecting spindle disposed below the driven spindle parallel thereto, means mounting said third spindle in connection with the post for up and down adjustment, and a pair of axially spaced tire supporting rollers on each spindle, the pair on the driven spindle being rotated thereby; the mounting means for said other spindle being a rearwardly projecting bracket having a longitudinal slot therethrough, the adjacent end of said other spindle being secured in adjustable relation through said slot.

11. A tire tread applying machine comprising an upstanding post, a driven spindle journaled in connection with the post and projecting laterally therefrom, another laterally projecting spindle disposed rearward of the driven spindle parallel thereto, means mounting said other spindle in connection with the post for back and forth adjustment, a third laterally projecting spindle disposed below the driven spindle parallel thereto, means mounting said third spindle in connection with the post for up and down adjustment, and a pair of axially spaced tire supporting rollers on each spindle, the pair on the driven spindle being rotated thereby; the mounting means for said third spindle being a vertically swingable hand lever from which said spindle projects laterally; there being a latch unit cooperating with the hand lever to releasably secure the same in selective positions of adjustment.

12. A tire tread applying machine comprising an upstanding post, a driven spindle journaled in third spindle being a vertically swlngable hand lever from which said spindle projects laterally; there being a latch unit cooperating with the hand lever to releasably secure the same in selective positions of adjustment, said latch unit including a notched quadrant, and a spring pressed latch cooperating therewith.

13; A tire tread applying machine, comprising an upstanding post, a driven tire carrier mounted on the post adapted to support a tire substantially vertically alongside the post and to rotate said tire, a cross member projecting laterally from th post above the tire, and a pair of guide fingers depending in spaced relation from the cross member to points adjacent corresponding shoulders of the tire whereby to guide tread stock onto said tire upon rotation of the latter.

14. A tire tread applying machine, comprising an upstanding post, a driven tire carrier mounted on the post adapted to support a tire substantially vertically alongside the post and to rotate said tire, a cross member projecting laterally from the post above the tire, and a pair of guid fingers depending in spaced relation from the cross mem her to points adjacent corresponding shoulders of the tire whereby to guide tread stock onto said tire upon rotation of the latter; said guide fingers being disposed at a forward and downward incline from'the cross membenthe latter crossing the tire at substantially top center. thereof.

15. A tire tread applying machine, comprising an upstanding post, a driven tire carrier mounted on the post adapted to support a tire substantially vertically alongside the post and to rotate said tire, a cross member projecting laterally from the post above the tire, and a pair of guide fingers depending in spaced relation from the cross member to points adjacent corresponding shoulders of the tirewhereby to guide tread stock onto said tire upon rotation of the latter; the cross member being adjustable axially, and up and down the post, V v :16. A tire tread applying machine, comprising an upstanding post, a driven tire carrier mounted on-the post adapted to support a tire substantially vertically alongside *the post and to rotate said tire, a cross member projecting laterally from the post above the tire, and a pair of guide fingers depending in spaced relation from the cross member to pointsadjacent corresponding shoulders of the tire whereby to guide tread stock onto said tire upon rotation of the latter; the cross member being adjustable axially, and up and down the post, andthe guide fingers being adjustable along said cross member.

EDWIN A. GLYNN.

FERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Number Name Date i. 1,194,565 Stevens Aug. 15, 1916 1,311,578 Stilson July 29, 1919 1,768,341 Stevens June 24, 1930 2,085,650 Godfrey June 29, 1937 2,474,511 Bacon June 28, 1949 

